Abu Dhabi: The first ever Etihad Airways female captain, on Wednesday completed her maiden commercial flight with the airline.
Captain Blanchard, a French national, took the control of the left-hand seat in the flight deck for the first time on Wednesday for flight EY17 from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow.
She joined Etihad in 2007 as a first officer and after intensive training with the airline, gained her fourth stripe.
Captain Richard Hill, Chief Operations Officer Eithad Airways, said: “We congratulate Sophie on becoming Etihad’s first female Captain. It’s a great achievement and well deserved, as she has shown tremendous dedication to achieve the rank of Captain.”
Etihad currently has 10 female pilots within its ranks and four female cadet pilots.
Captain Blanchard said: “It is a great privilege to become Etihad’s first female Captain and be the first woman to take full command of a commercial flight. The company has been very supportive in my aim to become a Captain and I look forward to my first flight to London.”
Captain Blanchard started her aviation training after graduating from high school. She gained her commercial licence at 18 years old in the US and began flying cargo aircraft for a Belgium-based company.
She later joined Icelandic company Air Atlanta where she flew leased flights for Etihad Crystal Cargo. She has accrued more than 6,500 hours of flying time.
